Covenant Effect
by Benthatguy
Summary: A Turian patrol makes hostile first contact with the covenant during the height of the human covenant war. Will the council be able to stand up to the might of the covenant war machine? Will the UNSC be able to trust another group of aliens so similar to their hated foe. How will the specters react when they learn their not the best in the galaxy anymore.


**Hierarchy heavy cruiser "Wrath of Spirits"**

"Sir, we're picking up an excessive buildup of Čerenkov radiation around Relay,314"

Captain Desolas Arterius was pulled out of his thoughts by the sensor officer's report. "Could it just be radiation decay from a nearby star?" He asked quickly hoping he was wrong. Two months leading a small patrol fleet along the Turian border to unexplored space may sound like an exciting adventure, but in reality it was a test of how long he could stand cramped living conditions and bad food until he went totally insane.

"Unlikely Sir, there isn't a star close enough to the point of origin to be creating it. Also there appear to be four points of origin all spaced an equal distance apart. It's most likely artificial Sir." The officer replied with a slight undertone of excitement buried under his Turian discipline. It seems like he wasn't the only one bored out of his mind. Desolas thought to himself mildly amused by the young man's eagerness.

The captain rose from his chair barking orders at his crew. A small satisfied smile threatened to spread across his face, as he watched his men move with the dedication and professionalism befitting soldiers of the Turian Hierarchy "Have the frigates form up around us in a close defensive formation. It looks like we might see some action after all. Helm plot a course to the relay then initiate fleet wide jump on my mark."

After a few brief moments, the communications and navigation officers informed the captain that all ships were in position and the calculations for the FTL jump were complete. Desolas allowed himself a proud smile at the efficiency of his crew. "Initiate the jump" Desolas watched as the black space shifted to the swirling black and blue tunnel of FTL.

"Have all ships go to full readiness, this could be anything from some merchants having engine trouble to lawbreakers attempting to activate a relay. I won't have us shame the hierarchy by being unprepared." The captain ordered firmly.

"Sir, we will be in visual range of Relay, 314 shortly" the navigation's officer reported. Desolas could hear the barely contained excitement in her voice as well. All the ships in his tiny patrol fleet were crewed mostly by young men and women fresh out of training, he wouldn't begrudge them for their excitement he remembered what it was like to be young and eager to prove his worth to the Hierarchy. His crew were some of the brightest and best new recruits the Hierarchy had to offer, they were the future of his people and he couldn't be prouder.

-Line Break-

"Sir we're entering visual range now"

"Good, stay in formation and bring the relay up on screen. I want to make sure that whatever we picked up isn't some fools about to start the next Rachni war." Desolas waited patiently for the image to be brought up, when it was he was barely able to contain his shock beneath the mask of an unyielding Turian officer.

"They look like Geth" someone murmured breaking the stunned silence of seeing the four purple ships drifting around the massive shape of the mass relay. Everyone had made the same connection, they all had received the same briefing on the Geth back in boot camp and it was undeniable that these ships bore an uncanny resemblance. Other then the much fatter appearance and purple coloring they looked identical to the Geth ship design.

"It can't be the Geth. The Geth haven't left the Perseus Veil in centuries" Someone retorted. Before the argument could escalate all chatter was stopped by two revelations from the sensor officer.

"Sir they're trying to activate the Relay" That one statement was enough to bring any and all speculation to a screeching halt. "And I'm detecting no element zero. On any of their ships" and that second statement was enough to kick the speculation into overdrive.

Desolas was shocked. For a moment his mind went wild trying to think of how it could be possible, but only for a moment after that the mental discipline drilled into since childhood reasserted itself. "None of that matters. What does matter is they are in violation of council law. They are trying to open up a mass relay. We have no idea what could be on the other side of that relay it could be anything from an empty system to a species that makes the Rachni look as peaceful as the Asari. I for one know I'm not willing to risk the lives of my family, my friend, of all the innocents in the galaxy on that gamble."

The captain took a deep breath silently asking the spirits for forgiveness for what he was about to do. "designate ships Lawbreaker one through four" He watched stoically as the four unknown ships on the view screen where highlighted red with their new designations hovering just above each vessel. His eyes immediately locked onto Lawbreaker three, the closest ship to the relay, the one most likely to be activating it. He glanced down at the tactical map four 300 meter ships of unknown capability against his own small fleet of three two 500 meter cruisers six 200 meter frigates and his own flagship the 600 meter heavy cruiser Wrath of Spirits.

While he was a little wary of facing an enemy he knew nothing about he was positive his ships would come out on top. His crew were well trained and disciplined and he outnumbered his enemy more than two to one. "All ships Target Lawbreaker Three with one volley from your main gun, fire on my command. Let's drive them away from the Relay before they unleash something we all end up paying for." He waited for all nine ships of his fleet to acknowledge and lock onto the target before giving the order. "Fire". Desolas felt his ship shudder beneath his feet as it fired its mass accelerator. He watched as the nine blue streaks tore across space towards their unfortunate target. He then watched in stunned silence as all nine shots were deflected of the shimmering golden shield that sprung to life around the ship.

"I thought you said the ship had no eezo" Desolas snapped at his sensor officer. As the four bulbous purple ships lazily drifted into a diamond formation, with Lawbreaker Three at the rear, and began heading towards the Turian fleet.

"Sir there isn't any eezo on those ships I've double and triple checked the readings unless they're using some sort of stealth technology to only mask their eezo readings, those aren't kinetic barriers." The young officers voices was tinged with barely hidden panic. This obviously wasn't the best situation to be blooding new recruits untested in battle.

"All ships focus fire on the closest ship, designation Lawbreaker Two. Helm plot an FTL jump to but us behind them right next to the relay, have the rest of the fleet do the same then hold position we need to find out their range." The captain watched as dozens of mass accelerator rounds pinged off of the ship's shields, to seemingly have no effect.

"Sir, I'm detecting massive buildup of heat along the broadsides of all four Lawbreakers" The sensor officer reported barely holding onto a thin mask of professionalism, obviously distressed at seeing the seemingly unbreakable shields of the enemy.

Desolas watched with growing dread as the broadsides of all four enemy ships began glowing a dark foreboding red. Then all of the sudden each ship fired six glowing red orbs, three from each broadside, that arced away from the ships and towards his own fleet. "All ships evasive manoeuvres! Break formation!" He snapped. After several moments of stomach lurching twist and turns as he fought to keep his lunch down he heard something that his heart drop into the rolling sea that was his stomach.

"Sir, they're locked on, no effect. Two projectiles have locked onto each frigate and four for each cruiser" The sensor officer was no longer trying to hide his fear practically screeching his report

"All ships focus GUARDIAN arrays on the projectiles. If their guided they must be some type of torpedo." Desolas' tactical mind was working overtime thinking of countless plans, tactics and counter-tactics in preparation for whatever these spirits damned lawbreakers could throw at them.

"Sir! Point defence isn't working. They're not having any effect" The sensor officer was close to hysteria. His entire life he had been taught that the Hierarchy was the most powerful force in the galaxy the sword and shield of the citadel, and it couldn't even scratch these lawbreakers.

"All ships go to FTL along pre planned routes." Desolas barked out without a moment's hesitation. The Wrath barley shuddered beneath his feat as it made the micro jump to the Relay. "All ships reorient towards the Lawbreakers and focus fire on Lawbreaker Two. Communications give me damage reports from all ships, was anyone hit?"

"Sir, We lost the frigate Hand of Justice. One of the projectiles was in it's way when it tried to jump, it was completely destroyed all hands lost. The frigate Havincaw was hit by both projectiles tracking it, they were unable to make the jump before they were hit. The projectiles seem to be made of pure plasma Sir, the first one was stopped by the Havincaw's shields but the heat was too much, it boiled away large portions of their armor knocking out their kinetic barriers. The second projectile burned straight through. The ship was lost unlikely to have any survivors. The cruiser Resolute was able to lose three of the projectiles tracking it by moving through the debris created by the Havincaw and Hand of Justice. The finale projectile knocked out their engines, their dead in the water Sir."

Desolas watched as the Resolute came on screen. Its engines looked fused together like taking a blowtorch to a piece of plastic. "Spirits" was all he managed to breath out. A full third of his fleet taken out by one volley. He was snapped from his stupor when the four lawbreakers began to close in on the crippled cruiser. "All ships divert power to your mass accelerators, we have to defend the Resolute!" Even as he said it the captain knew it was hopeless. He watched with a heavy heart as Lawbreaker four turned its underbelly towards the defenceless cruiser revealing a small glowing spot that grew steadily until a pure white beam lanced from it and straight through the Resolute detonating it's mass effect core in a massive explosion.

Desolas' mandibles flared in barely contained raged. "All remaining frigates form a wolf pack, then jump in above the Lawbreakers and fire disruptor torpedoes then break off and return. Cruisers continue to focus fire on Lawbreaker Two"

Captain Desolas Arterius watched with bated breath as his four remaining frigates tried the last trick they had left to defeat these lawbreakers. The four frigates made a micro jump right above the enemy staying just long enough to fire off dozens of torpedoes before using their greater speed and agility to disengage from the lawbreaker before they had a chance to return fire.

The disruptor torpedoes were their last chance. Warheads designed to create unstable mass effect fields around their target tearing it apart. That is if they could hit their target. The remains of the Turian patrol fleet watched as dozens of purple beams of light from three of the ships tore the torpedoes apart long before they could reach their target. The fourth ship however ignored the torpedoes instead a massive hole of swirling black and blue opened right in front of it. The Turian's were shocked as the 300 meter vessel entered the tear in space just before it closed.

"What in the spirit's name was that" Desolas demanded

"Sir, I don't know but it's giving off the same radiation we detected earlier. And Sir I'm detecting more of it right in front of the wolf packs flight path!"

"Get them out of their now!" The captain barked

But it was too late. Another swirling tear in space opened up just above the frigates, before they even had a chance to react another spirits cursed beam of white energy lanced from the underbelly of the ship completely obliterating one of the frigates. Two of the remaining three were quickly dispatched by plasma torpedoes and pulse laser turrets.

The last frigate however managed to escape. It limped away from the brutal massacre badly damaged and venting atmosphere. "Order a full retreat all remaining ships are to regroup at these coordinates and return to Turian space" Captain Desolas ground out swallowing his pride as he typed the coordinates into his omni-tool. He was outnumbered and outgunned he wasn't willing to sacrifice the lives of his remaining crew for his spirits damned pride.

"Sir, the other three ships are giving off more Čerenkov radiation." Desolas' eyes widened, those ships were coming for them he would bet his honor on it. "All ships evasive maneuvers I want us out of here now!" He snapped

Once again they were too late. The three monstrous ships tore out of their portals right on top of the two cruisers and began firing. The Wrath was able to avoid the vast majority of the barrage through either the skill of their helmsman, the will of the spirits or sheer dumb luck. Most likely a combination of all three. The other remaining cruiser however was not so lucky. A dozen plasma torpedoes and another of those beams of white light all smashed into the cruiser overwhelming it's barriers and obliterating it.

Desolas felt his own ship shudder as it took it's own beating and warning alarms began to flare throughout the ship. "Helm make the jump now!" He barked out as he felt another explosion rake through his ship.

"The calculations aren't done Sir!" The panicked navigation's officer cried out

"Then put us next to the Ravuna" He snapped. The youth made a few rapid adjustments on his console before the ship lurched once again jumping right next to the last remaining frigate. He breathed a slight sigh of relief. "Get those calculations done I want to get us out of this spirits forsaken system while there's still some of us left."

But their respite did not last long. The same ship that destroyed the majority of the frigate wolf pack was baring down on them, right in the path they needed to take to escape the system. "Spirits dammit" Desolas cursed.

"Sir the Ruvuna is still accelerating towards the Lawbreaker ship." a stunned sensor officer reported

"What! Open a channel now!" Desolas roared thinking his old friend had gone mad. After a moment the red face with white colony markings appeared in front of him "What in the name of the spirits are you doing Kryik, you don't have the firepower to take on that thing"

"No sir I don't, but I do have the mass." Castis Kryik replied with grim humor lacing his voice.

"Don't do this Kryik what about your crew, what about your son?" Desolas pleaded with his friend

"I've already talked to the crew they're with me on this, and" His voice wavered for a moment before returning to steely determination "Nihlus will understand. Tell Nihlus and Orinia I love them for me and try to keep that brother of yours out of trouble"

"Don't do this Castis. That's an order Commander!" Desolas roared desperate not to see another friend die this day.

"Sorry Desolas, initiate the FTL jump" The badly damaged frigates mass effect core fired launching them faster than the speed of light straight into the lawbreaker ship. The 300 meter ship was tough but there isn't much that can survive an FTL collision.

Desolas watched as the last ship in his fleet was destroyed finally taking out one of these damn lawbreakers and with it one of the most Honourable man he had ever known. "Helm get us out of here. The Hierarchy needs to hear about what happened here." The grief was heavy in the captain's voice for all to hear.

Eight ships destroyed one badly damaged, and some of the best young men the Turian people had to offer all gone. Desolas could feel the warm blue blood drip from his fist as his talons dug to deep into the flesh of his palms. He had failed his men, he had failed his people and he had failed his friend. But he wasn't done yet. He vowed he would come back with the full might of the Hierarchy at his back and put these Lawbreakers down if it was the last thing he did.

-Line Break-

 **Covenant** _ **CRS**_ **-class light cruiser** " **Cleansing Light"**

"contact High Charity. Tell them we failed to find the humans but we did manage to discover someone else, as well as a possible artifact." The sangheili shipmaster rumbled to his Kig-Yar communications officer. "We will bring this new species under the light of the covenant or we will burn their mongrel hides from the galaxy" He announced confidently still feeling the thrill of the battle thrumming through his veins. His crew responded with a thunderous roar of approval.

However a small part of the shipmasters mind was not enthralled by the thought of glory and conquest. A small part of his mind wondered why the gods would mark this artifact with the signs of 'trap' and 'ambush'. He banished these thoughts from his mind, the interpretation of the gods will was the work of the prophets not a lowly shipmaster.

 _Codex entry: Covenant weaponry_

 _Almost all Covenant weaponry is plasma based. This makes covenant weaponry particular effective when combating foes utilizing kinetic barriers. Contrary to popular belief plasma does not simply pass through kinetic barriers, the plasma itself is in fact stopped by the barrier. The issue is the barrier does nothing to stop the excessive heat created by the plasma. This massive amount of heat often melts portions of the armor damaging the delicate emitters that generate the barrier after one or two shots. This however if often a moot point as the heat the operator is exposed to is usually fatal unless they are wearing heavy or heat resistant armor or are a member of a particularly durable species._

 **First of all I want to thank regularmother for helping me with this chapter. He pointed out some issues with my grammar and my writing that helped make this chapter much better and hopefully my future chapters. For those of you that read my other story I'm not abandoning it but I do want to try writing something else for a bit, it's not on hiatus I'll write that when I want to write comedy or fantasy and I'll write this when I want to write sci fi. I've got a general idea for how I want this story to go but if anyone has ideas for things they want to see don't hesitate to tell me either in a pm or review, same goes for any questions you may have. I don't know if I'm gonna make the codex thing a regular thing I just threw it in before I posted this but tell me if you guys like it or not. I'm also looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested preferably someone with writing experience knowledgeable about halo and mass effect but hey beggars can't be choosers.**


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